That's just BS. The short interest on this stock was less than 3% of the O/S at the last data point, less than 4% at the previous data point, so the short positions were already being closed out, plenty of volume during the dump phase to cover.
Tell me, when the PPS fell from $12 to $3 was that FINRA's fault, too? Could it be the pumpers were taking their profits and getting out before they became trapped with the grossly overpriced stock in the private company?